These photos are from yesterday at the end of the dogwalk.  The sun was out and Haakon was having a little bit of a sit because it was the last of the lovely days for a while.

Kolka was guarding against any potential marauding tigers – good girl, Kolka.

While Bibble was being Bibble.  It’s a full time job, you know.

Let’s not think twit.

Though, I will admit, it is very hard not to.

For anyone missing Bibble’s silly-frilly – here it is in all its glory.   Magnificent.

My little shadow was around keeping watch too.  She would love a marauding tiger.  Such fun!

But all we had was one fat white cat.  In the next photo, he is having a pee.  Funnily enough, I’ve left that one out.

And so the weather is deteriorating into a six day storm which we could all do without.

It feels like this is a very windy winter and  I am dreading trying to feed everyone first thing tomorrow morning.  Buckets everywhere and lots of trying to stay upright.

After breakfast, the Minions like to play while I am busy worrying that this is like swimming after a large lunch and not waiting an hour. I can still hear my mother’s voice and then I worry that everyone will have colic because that is what happens, apparently…… or something.

But no, Shetland ponies have to annoy each other. It’s in their job description.  Today it was Waffle and Tiddles’ turn and they were having the best fun together.

It was wonderful to watch and I defy anyone not to smile.

Meanwhile, while I was filming this, I was being nibbled by three little ponies.  They went through my pockets and I could feel definite nibbling.

Albie…..(of course)

Newt – who has teeth (ahem!)

And Newt’s cousin, Storm who was a bit kinder.

Later on, at the end of the dogwalk and as it was such a lovely day, I sat on a big rock and waited to see who wanted to talk.  Pepper stayed with me. Ted went home.

(it is lovely having the Minions home)

Now the Minions are home, I had this, albeit brief, stupid idea that it would be nice to have all the horses and ponies together in one field.  This was entirely based on Kolka who quite likes the little ones and spends much of her time at the fence talking to them in a friendly way.

I asked Haakon what he thought of this plan.

And he duly discussed it with Iacs.

And they came to the conclustion that it would be a very bad idea.  A very bad idea indeed.

Yes, Kolka probably likes the Minions very much but I doubt she could eat a whole one! (joke).

Before Kolka came to us, she used to live with Shetland ponies so she understands their little ways.  Haakon and Iacs are not the greatest fans but they will tolerate them.

So I told the Minions that they could just get on with their life in their field (until the track is ready and then they’re going to live there) and the Ancients were staying where they were.

And anyway, OH reminded me that eleven breakfast time buckets in the same field would be a nightmare and I quickly realised my great idea was actually a terrible one.

We all had a quiet day today. The weather was unhelpful (gusting F10 at times) while we were feeding everyone their breakfast and I have things to do anyway.

I spent the morning finding and editing photos to have on mini business cards that will accompany the hand-felted sheep when, or if, folk buy them.

Question:  is it better to have the more expensive business cards or just go bog-standard?  I am using Moo.com – https://www.moo.com/uk/business-cards/minicards – Original (9p/card) or Luxe (17p/card)?  I am thinking the original (9p) will be fine.  It is just an attempt to increase traffic for the blog, not auditioning to rule the world by handing out a fabularse card.

Here are a few of my designs.  There will be 100 in total – all different.

Obviously there will be more sheep ones, possibly even a series devoted to Lambie’s Winning Smile, though when I asked for a few photos today, he went all huffy and unhelpful.  Ever the prima donna is Lambie.

Edna and ‘Ster tried their very best for me, which was kind.

So back to sorting through my photos.  I take lots of breaks because I am very easily distracted.

And this afternoon, I popped into my shed to do something completely different.  I need to get ahead making them in case there is a rush and someone buys one!  Cruise ship season

The dog walk started ominously but luckily the rain shower missed us.

I wanted to walk round the new field track that is currently under construction.

My fencer has been hard at work putting fence posts everywhere parallel to the perimeter of the field to make a track system.

This will be for the Minions in the summer.  I will start by just giving them a line to eat down, ie a section and then hopefully they can use the whole track to find food.

There are wider bits at the burn (stream) so they can find an easy point to drink from and cross.

There are two watering points so no more lugging fresh water every day – yay!

I cannot tell you how pleased I am with this progress. Next to invest in poly-wire, insulators, a couple of spring gates and possibly the mother of all solar energisers and we are good to go.

I might put The Ancients inside the field inside the track though as there is good shelter and grass but I am not optimistic they won’t get stuck in the fence or something equally stupid.  Everyone seems to be doitin’ these days.

Hey ho – progress on the track and this makes me happy.